Wednesday, April 9, 2014

More of the Same for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, America

The results are in and the citizens have voted. The mayor didn't get a mandate but he did get a victory so congratulations are in order. Snow Gates, no outdoor pool at Spellerberg, new zoning ordinances and a Walmart at 85th and Minnesota - Sioux Falls is moving on. I am excited about what may occur at Spellerberg Park. Decade old zoning ordinances will be put to rest and we shall see how developers and residents get along in the future. For a Republican State that thinks there is too much government, we vote in snow gates that will cost more and slow down snow removal - just because we don't want to shovel snow on our driveways - go figure. Politics create strange bedfellows.

I am excited about Christine Erickson joining Michelle Erpenbach on the City Council. Rex Rolfing - sigh! I hope we see an engaged City Council that doesn't become a rubber stamp for the administration the next four years. Regardless of the outcome, citizens don't feel they have been listened to and no one on the Council should forget that.

I am not scared about what's happening in Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls has been robust and vibrant for decades. It's growth is phenomenal and it's civic and business leaders have been engaged and shown leadership. I don't see that changing. Personalities are big in politics. While I am not a fan of the personality of the newly elected mayor and how he treats people who don't agree with him, the majority of citizens who voted yesterday seem to like this bulldozer, so bulldoze away, mayor-elect.

You haven't seen anything yet! Why does that scare me and make me feel sorry for the internal workings at City Hall? Time will tell. When bullies get encouragement, they puff up and become monsters. Let's hope Sioux Falls, South Dakota, America weathers the second coming. Good luck to the Mayor and new City Council. "Sioux Falls, South Dakota, America - you haven't seen anything yet!"

7 comments:

Well, MMM certainly did not get a mandate from the good folks of Sioux Falls. He should be thinking long and hard why Jamison got all those votes. He was lucky he got those extra 3,000 plus votes or he would of been history.

By the time MMM arrived at City Hall this morning, he had already forgotten that 4 out of every 10 voters did NOT vote for him.

He was on Knobe this afternoon stating there had been citizens who had tried to make an issue out of trust, but the results of the mayoral race and the ballot initiatives/referendums prove there is NO issue of trust between him and the people. What...................................

Yes 4 out of 10 voters didn't vote for him, but 6 out of 10 told him to keep on, keepin' on. Clearly that is a boost to his ego because for the last two months people were predicting the race would be much closer, and I'm sure in his mind knowing full well how much negativity was being spewed surrounding his first term the fact he won a decisive victory sent a signal that he needs to push even harder to get things done.

We should always remember that Mike has higher aspirations, so I don't anticipate he is going to dial up the aggresiveness because it could cost him his chances at Governor. He needs to appeal to a wide base in Sioux Falls if he wants to appeal to anyone West River.

The city clerk didn't have any issues with the discosures she recieved, and the law is so ambiguous about what is required, they would have a hard time pushing for anything more. Time to move on and focus upon the issues that have a real impact.

Greg got a good amount of support, and he should know that he actually had more support than the votes showed. There were those like myself who voted for Heuther in order to hold his feet to the fire on things such as that Events Center of his. He needs to live up to the promises he made, or people like me will be on him, on him, on him. He'd better work his ass off to keep those promises. Greg should run in 4 years. He's a great guy.